And The Moments Just Pass You By
by elenwyn
Summary: A collection of fics written for challenges, some exploring the past and some exploring the future relationship of Paire. All non-corresponding, mostly canon. Feedback is appreciated!
1. Secrets

**A/N: **This is the first of a series of non-corresponding stories all written for the LJ community: Pairechallenge. I'd much rather put them all in one section than have them all as individual shots. All of the stories are written to a prompt, and the prompt for this one was, _Secrets, _and it had to be 500 words or under.

**Disclaimer/Warnings: **Spoilers to the end of S1. I don't own Heroes. Implications of Canon!Paire.

Enjoy!

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_Secrets: (A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words)_

_--_

_Pictures_, Claire thinks, staring down at the photo frame, _are secrets trapped in time._

She traces her thumb over the image, immortalised forever in its glass housing, and gently places it on the wooden ledge, alongside other frozen figures.

One of her family in Texas, back when she was just ten. Back then, she was a girl with pigtails and her father was a paper salesman, not an indestructible cheerleader and a trained captor of those with abilities. Back then, she thought her family was _real_, not some carefully organised Company transaction.

The next photo. The 'photo op'. This holds secrets so deep, Claire isn't sure she wants to know the truth. Nathan's politician grin which shows nothing of the betrayal he's capable of. Heidi, detained in a wheelchair, who walks up the stairs of a morning to wake her sons up.

To the side of them there's Angela, who's kept confined in her room by her sons; a desperate attempt to exorcise the monster inside.

Peter, the black sheep, the mentally unstable younger brother. The hero who saved the world.

Then there's Claire, standing the other side of Nathan, the lost child welcomed back with open arms, a Petrelli, _family_.

Her eyes slide back to the last photo, smile growing.

The last picture's of her and Peter. Outwardly, an innocent picnic in Central Park. Uncle and niece spending time together.

There are grass stains on her dress and on his trousers, her lip-gloss has disappeared from her mouth, and their hair is tousled, seemingly by the wind.

Hidden from the lens' view are their hands, entwined tightly behind their backs. Their smiles are a little _too_ happy, and their eyes are a little _too _bright, but that's what makes Claire grin even more.

The camera's more than happy to keep their secrets. After all, it is an expert.


	2. Home Movies

**A.N: **This was written for the one-shot challenge, _Life Is Like A Movie_ over at Pairechallenge. Enjoy!

**Warnings/Disclaimers: **Spoilers up to the end of S1. Canon!Paire. I don't own Heroes.

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_Home Movies_

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The expanse of cold, winter sky stretches out before him, the tops of trees and skyscrapers spinning and spinning…

"Zach, turn it _off._"

The lens spins out to accommodate the concrete pavement and the form of one, Claire Bennet-Petrelli, wrapped up warmly from head to toe, arms folded and an irked expression on her face, her golden curls tucked underneath the hood of her coat.

The voice behind the camera laughs, "Aw, come on, Claire, this is _New York_ we're talking about. Plus, it's my new project, '_The Daily Escapades of Miri-Gro Girl and her Secret Life as a Manhattan Socialite_.' Got an edge to it, don't you think?"

Claire rolls her eyes and scoffs, "Puh-lease." She starts walking down the pavement, heels clacking, "_Miri-Gro Girl_? I didn't invite you here for Christmas so you could document my boring life and turn it into a superhero film."

Shakily, the camera follows her, Zach trying to keep up with her fast pace, "But I've got it all worked out. It could be your alias, and you could play yourself in the film! I've got the synopsis all figured out…"

A laugh escapes the blonde's lips without meaning to, turning to the camera to roll her eyes good-naturedly at her friend, "I don't think a movie is the best idea when I'm supposed to be in hiding. Kinda gives me away, you know?"

"Whatever. Anyway, it's the story of Claire Bennet," Zach moves in front of her and walks backwards. The lens zooms into her face, as she laughs and tries to shove it away, "Who wakes up one morning with mysterious powers of regeneration."

Playing along, Claire pretends to look shocked, as her friend carries on, "As she tries to figure out what these powers mean, the evil _Brain Man_ attacks her at school, where she's trying to live a double life as a cheerleader."

"Zach," She warns, brows furrowing.

"Will you shut up; I'm getting to the best bit!" In his hurry, Zach trips over a stone and almost falls backwards, the camera slipping in his hands.

"Dork," Claire helps steady him, breathing out icy, cold air, "What's this best bit?"

They've arrived back at the Petrelli mansion now, and the girl pauses in front of the iron gates, taking in a deep breath. It's all decked out for Christmas, the exterior warm and inviting, but the thought of her grandmother waiting for her inside is a less than inviting thought.

"The best bit is the arrival of _Sponge Boy -"_ At this point Claire bursts into laughter, "_Sponge Boy?" _– "Who gets there in the nick of time and saves _Miri-Gro_ _Girl_ from the clutches of _Brain Man_, to which she's eternally grateful and says he's totally her hero."

Claire whacks Zach on the shoulder for that one, face reddening without meaning to. She blushes even more when Peter comes to greet them at the door, and she's suddenly giggling hysterically without reason.

Obviously, the man's confused, eyebrows raised. He looks into the camera for an explanation, "Er…hi to you too?"

Zach immediately springs back into director mode, zooming in on the empath's face, "And here is _Sponge Boy_ himself, helping _Miri-Gro_ _Girl_ cope with the turmoil's of everyday existence now she's trying to integrate into New York life."

"_Sponge Boy_?" Peter looks, slightly amused, over to Claire, who's still trying to suppress giggles. She shrugs, pointing to Zach, who beams.

"It's the plot for my new movie," The boy explains, "You know, I might re-name it: '_The Adventures of Miri-Gro Girl and Sponge Boy._'"

The former hospice nurse nods doubtfully, "_Right_. Claire, Ma says if you want to get this dress sorted for the Ball next week, you better get moving."

At this, the blonde rolls her eyes, exaggerating for the camera as Zach spins to follow her movements, "Great."

The three of them move inside, and Zach seats himself in the lounge while he waits for Claire to finishing seeing her scary grandmother of doom. Peter waits with him, and the boy shuts off the camera and moves it around in his hands, an almost-comfortable silence settling between the two of them.

It's not like Zach doesn't like Peter or anything; he just doesn't know what to say to a man who can, potentially, pin you against a wall with a flick of his mind. So he stays silent and, sooner or later, Claire appears in a gorgeous, white, flowing dress that's obviously custom-made. He quickly switches the camcorder back on as Peter stands up, eyes completely focused on the girl walking delicately down the staircase.

Zach's about to make a witty comment but the sight he can see through the camera lens stops him. Claire's eyes have met Peter's and, Zach's no expert, but he can see a flash of, well, _something_, pass between them.

Peter clears his throat, "You look…lovely, Claire."

"Thanks," She answers quietly, looking down at her feet. It's then she notices Zach still filming, "Turn it _off_, you dork."

There's warmth in her voice, but he can sense another emotion there that's forceful enough to make him press the stop button, closing the camera with an apologetic smile.

Later, as Zach re-watches the tape, he decides that his movie is going to have a slightly different ending. In his movie, _Miri-Gro Girl_ would be saved by _Sponge Boy_, as planned but, when she came to live in New York, instead of finding out they were related, Zach would make them fall in love and live happily ever after.

He decides that's the least they deserve.


	3. Catch The Grains As They Slip By

**A.N: **Written for the prompt _Speed_ at Pairechallenge. Set in FYG universe.

**Spoilers/Warnings/Disclaimers:** I don't own Heroes. Canon!Paire, which means incest if you didn't know ;) Set up to S1 E20.

Enjoy!

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_Catch The Grains As They Slip By_

_--_

"_Time, which strengthens friendship, weakens love."(__**Jean de La Bruyère**__)_

_--_

He slithers into her room under the cover of darkness, face clouded by shadow. She can hardly see through the dim light, but she knows he's there, can feel her other senses heighten through her blindness as he slides underneath the bed sheets.

Feel every nerve in her body stand alert as his smooth hands – an oxymoron in itself compared to the hardship of his life – glide across her body, making her cry out in ecstasy, the night shrouding their bodies as they meld into one.

But it's always over too soon; the dawn breaks and he disappears once more. She's left counting down the hours, minutes, seconds till he returns to her window, wishing she could send the hands of the clock speeding to dusk, but stop them for an eternity as soon as the sun goes down.

It's never enough, what he makes her feel, nothing's ever enough. The sands of time pass them by in a rapid blur; she dyes her hair, moves town, finds a boyfriend, someone nice with sandy hair and a warm smile, but he keeps returning, his eyes the only thing that change. They grow colder, darker with each visit, and Claire knows it's only a matter of time before that darkness consumes him completely.

That's when he won't return; when it all becomes too much for him. That's when she'll wish she can stop the clock.


	4. Sin

**A.N: **This was written for pairechallenge's drabble challenge, with the prompt, "Black". Contains canon Paire, which means incest, so don't read it if you don't like it.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Heroes.

Enjoy!

* * *

She paints her nails black and, somehow, that's become their secret code.

The desires that run through her are too real to ignore, despite knowing it's oh, so wrong to feel the way she does about her _uncle_. But that gets forgotten in the heat of the moment, when they're pressed up against a wall, invisible, outside one of his brother's political do's. His breath hitches as she digs her fingernails into his back, the black polish reflecting the image of the night sky.

Angela raises an eyebrow when, in summer, she takes to wearing pretty, white sundresses, topped off with black nails. They're at the Hamptons, and Peter's not with them, but at night Claire leaves her window open and smiles into the dark when he approaches, adorning every inch of her body with kisses that make her cry out with pleasure.

She rests languidly against his chest, and he takes a hand in his, studies the nail varnish and kisses every finger. Black represents their desires, the feeling of guilt Claire _should_ have but doesn't. A sign for the whole world to see that she is committing a sin.

He tells her he loves her and her heart soars; the rules begin to change.

The black is scrubbed off and replaced by red the next day.


	5. Second Star to the Right

**Warnings: **Incest if you squint. No spoilers past the end of Season 1, really.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Heroes, or anything to do with Peter Pan.

**A.N: **This was written for pairechallenge at livejournal. The prompt was 'Anniversary'. Enjoy!

_

* * *

"The last thing he ever said to me was, `Just always be waiting for me, and then some night you will hear me crowing.' But, alas, he forgot all about me." – Wendy, Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie_

_---_

Four days, seventeen hours, twenty-three minutes.

That's how long it's been since your hero vanished into the sky in a blaze of glory, and you fling open your bedroom window to search in vain for the second star to the right that will bring him back to you.

All the night offers is a pleasant breeze, whispering your own apologies over and over.

"_I'm sorry I couldn't pull the trigger, I'm sorry I didn't do it in time, I'm sorry…"_

---

And now a year passes, and the leaves grow full and green on the trees, only to be shaken a strong gust of wind to the ground, withered, dead.

It's your anniversary. A year since you first met and you leave the window open fully even though the nights are colder and the moon is full.

He doesn't show up.

---

You struggle with you immortality the way children struggle growing up – it's painful, heartbreaking, something you don't want to do but can't stop from happening.

If only growing up was your problem. Instead, you are Peter Pan instead of Wendy, the boy who never grows up instead of the girl who accepts normality.

---

Your father, your _bio_ father, turned up four weeks after it happened.

He was found on the bank of the Hudson, burnt, scarred, alive. In that moment, you found hope, despair and anger all at the same time.

_If Nathan is alive, surely…?_

_But they didn't find anyone else…_

_How __dare__ he be alive, when…_

The sentences never finish in your head, not even after three years pass and Nathan's standing on your doorstep looking morose and guilty enough for the both of you and you just want to hit him, run to him, slam the door in his face, _something_.

Instead, you show him in and into your room. You perch on the edge of your bed and he takes in the bears and your old cheerleading outfit before sitting on the chair of your vanity table, looking marvellously out of place in his black, politician's suit.

It's awkward and strained until he notices the window, wide open, and asks.

"It's for Peter." You say and you somehow know he'll understand despite it all. "It's our anniversary."

The kind eyes that turn back to you are the only comfort you've accepted since it happened and you revel in crying for the first time, soaking his starched white shirt with tears.

---

You move from Odessa, to Costa Verde, take a road-trip across states in the middle of college – but never go to New York.

Then faces change and blur, the years speed by and suddenly it's been one hundred years and you're living in Carcassonne, where no-one notices a girl who never ages – there's far more interesting mysteries surrounding the area.

No matter where you are, the window is always open once a year.

---

You're sleeping soundly in your bed when the wind picks up, strangely, on such a calm night, and blows into your bedroom. You stir, slowly.

It's your one-hundred-and-third anniversary and, for the first time, you contemplated shutting the window before you went to sleep.

Now you're glad you haven't, for a shadow falls across you and you smile. You knew this day would come.

"Happy Anniversary."


	6. Brave New World

**A.N: **This was written for 'pairechallenge' over at LJ. We had to use the song 'Like Lovers' by Texas for inspiration. Enjoy :)

**Warnings/Spoilers: SPOILER/SPECULATION FOR THE SEASON 4 FINALE. **Don't read if you don't want to know stuff, folks ;)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Heroes, unfortunately.

_

* * *

_

_Just a boy and girl  
Trying to change a cold world_

_---_

As Claire clambers up the Ferris wheel, Peter feels the whole world hold its breath. _"She's going to change everything,"_ he finds himself murmuring, watching as the crowd that was gathered to watch Samuel suddenly begins to point, nudge each other, turn away from the enigmatic leader to watch this new spectacle. The glare of the cameras turn towards the girl with the sad, little smile and a pang of fear bubbles up inside the empath.

What if this creates the world he once feared would exist? A world full of hatred and fear, of destruction...and most of all, a world where she hates him. Where she kills him. He's tried so hard to stop that from happening; can he stand here and do nothing while it happens for real?

Samuel's seething, red in the face, shouting, but everyone's attention is on the blonde now spreading her arms out wide. She glances down at the crowd, seems to hold Peter's gaze for just a moment.

_It's going to be alright, Peter._ Her voice floats into his mind and he can feel her resolution, see her reasons for doing this. It calms him, the same way it did when she took his hand in his after Nathan died, the same way she's always made him believe there's good still left in the world.

Samuel's way of introducing them to humanity is bloody, destructive; the building blocks for the world of hate Peter has been so intent on stopping.

But Claire, Claire has hope for a better world, for a one of understanding, of acceptance. He doesn't know if this world is possible, but he believes in it for her if for no-one else. Nods in reply. _Good luck._

The crowd suddenly falls silent; everyone can feel the change that's coming, even Samuel has stopped protesting enough to watch.

"_My name is Claire Bennet,"_ the cheerleader with the sad, little smile yells out to the mass of people below, _"And this...this is attempt number one."_

The girl jumps, the crowd gasps in horror, and a brave, new world begins.


End file.
